The Princess and the Pauper
by Kammie Celeek
Summary: Princess Sky and Pauper Zoey looked almost exactly alike. When they are caught up in a plot to take over the kingdom, Zoey takes a kidnapped Sky's place in order to make it seem like nothing is wrong. Can she learn to be a princess? And can both girls learn to follow both their duties and their hearts?


**A hearty hello to my fellow **_**Total Drama**_** fans!**

** I have been absent from this fandom for… *checks profile*…holy shit, **_**four years**_**? That means I left right about the time I was starting high school, since I'm graduating in a couple months. Wow. Time flies when you're avoiding schoolwork and a slightly-overbearing mother who disapproves of everything you do except the fact that you decided to attend a college close to home to gain some more maturity before you head off on your own. *eye twitches***

** Anyway, this is a story I originally wrote back in my **_**Total Drama**_** binge, but now I decided to rewrite it.**

** This is based of Barbie's **_**The Princess and the Pauper**_**. if you haven't seen this movie, I'd suggest listening to the songs on YouTube—especially the villain song. I love this movie **_**so much**_** and it means a lot that you take time out of your busy days to read my story.**

_**OWTF**_**!**

* * *

_Long ago, there was a prosperous kingdom called Pahkitew. They were known far and wide for their beloved king and queen, as well as their wealth. However, not everybody in the kingdom was rich, as to be expected in any place. This is important to our story because on one day in the kingdom, two identical baby girls were born in very different lives._

_ One was the daughter of the beloved king and queen—a princess named Sky._

_ The other was the daughter of poor shoemakers—a pauper named Zoey._

_ Sky was pronounced a symbol of hope for the future by those who saw her. They had no doubt she'd make a fine ruler. The king and queen loved her so much that they declared her birthday a kingdom-wide holiday in celebration._

_ Zoey, on the other hand, was also loved very much by her parents. They loved her every bit as much as the king and queen loved the princess. However, because they were poor, they were worried about her. How would they ever care for their little daughter?_

_ As years went by, each girl began to find her path. Sky learned her royal duties, while Zoey worked long and hard as a seamstress for the spiteful Miss Amy. With lives so different, it was no wonder the Princess and the Pauper never met._

_ But fate decreed they would, and fate has a funny way of making things happen…_

* * *

"What's going on?" asked Queen Scarlett, crossing her arms as she waited for the head of the mines. She'd been called down to the mines due to a problem the miners had encountered.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," sighed Jo, emerging from the tunnel. Behind her was Brick, a worker in the mine, pushing an empty mine cart. "The gold… it's run out."

"No!" Scarlett gasped, turning away so nobody could see her worry. She headed back to the castle.

Over the last eighteen years since the birth of her daughter, Pahkitew had been through more than its fair share of hardship. First had come the death of the king, which had thrown the entire kingdom into mourning. Then came the drought, which had already all but crippled the kingdom's economy. And now _this_? If she didn't know better, she'd think someone was out to destroy her. If only she could call on Chris McClean, her most trusted advisor, but he was away on a long journey.

She climbed the stairs to the library, where Sky was reading a book. Scarlett stared out the window.

_How can I take care of our people?_

The queen's eyes widened.

_King Michael. He's seeking a wife…_ She looked at her daughter. _Sky can save the kingdom._

* * *

"We're late, late, _late_!"

Sky sighed as Noah ran past her. He was holding her schedule as he began rattling off her plans for the day. She couldn't move, due to the fact that she was being fitted for a new gown, and just ignored what he was saying.

"We have a maximum of _twenty minutes_ to finish your fitting, then it's off to your speech at the historical society. And then, a luncheon with the horticultural society after that…" The bottom of the list fell, alarming Sky's cat, Dakota.

Sky blocked Noah out of her thoughts, then stepped off the fitting platform towards the rest of her massive bedroom. She closed her eyes and sighed before she opened her mouth to sing.

"_All my life I've always wanted to have one day just for me,_" she sang. "_Nothing to do and for once nowhere I need to be. With no lessons, lords, or lunches—or to-do list in the way. No-one to say when to eat or read or leave or stay! That would be the day!_"

Meanwhile, in the village below the castle, Zoey was beginning her workday at Miss Amy's.

"_All my life I've always wanted to have one day for myself,_" she sang, folding some cloth while her cat, Sam, bobbed his head. "_Not waking up with a pile of work on every shelf! With no hems in need of pressing and no sleeves in disarray. No wedding dress with a thousand stitches to crochet!_" She stared out the window hopefully. "_And no debt to pay._"

"Miss Amy!" hissed Samey, Zoey's coworker. Zoey turned just in time to see the woman she was indebted to walk down the stairs.

"What do you think I'm running here—a cabaret?!" growled Amy, crossing her arms.

"I would've said a debtor's prison," muttered Zoey.

"Keep laughing!" Amy pointed a finger in Zoey's face, then at herself. "You'll be working for _me_ for another 37 years!"

"But I've _already _paid off more than half!" Zoey protested as Amy walked away, up the stairs.

"Well, there's an _interest_, isn't there? Your parents should've thought of that before they borrowed so much." Amy was opening the door to the main shop now.

"They did it to feed me!" Zoey cried defiantly. Amy shrugged.

"Their mistake." Amy slammed the door shut behind her. Zoey balled her fists and stared at the ceiling.

"_What would it be like to be…_" she sang.

"_What would it be like to be…_" sang Sky at the palace.

"_Free!_"

"_Free!_"

At that last word, both girls raised their arms to the sky.

"_Free to try crazy things_," Sky thought aloud, spinning.

"_Free from endless IOUs!_" Zoey hoped.

"_Free to fly!_" Sky opened her window and gazed down at the garden.

"_Free to sing._" Zoey opened the shop window for some air.

"_And marry whom I choose…_" Sky watched her tutor, Dave, who was observing plants in the garden.

"I'm so sorry, my darling," Scarlett told her daughter as she entered the room, making Sky turn to face her. "But, as you know, it's _vital_ you marry King Michael. It _is_ the only way to take care of our people."

"I know," sighed Sky. "It's my duty." Scarlett turned to see a maid entering the room, a wrapped package in her arms.

"Oh and look! Another engagement gift!" Sky took the package and set it with the others, looking it over.

"_You would think I am so lucky to have so many things_," she sighed, undoing the ribbon on the box. "_But I'm realizing that every present comes with strings._"

"_Though I have so very little, my determination's strong!_" Zoey sang, putting on a blue cloak she'd been making and twirling around the room. "_People will gather around the world to hear my song!_"

"_Can I come along?_" Samey asked.

"_Now I fear I'll never be…_" Sky worried.

"_Soon I will forever be…_" Zoey cheered hopefully.

"_Free!_"

"_Free!_"

Both girls exited onto their respective balconies, singing in unison (though they didn't know it).

"_I close my eyes and feel myself fly a thousand miles away. I could take flight but would it be right? My conscience tells me stay!_"

"_I'll remain forever royal_," Sky stated.

"_I'll repay my parents' debt!_" Zoey promised.

"_Duty means doing the things your heart may well regret!_" they agreed.

"_But I'll never stop believing!_" Sky sighed.

"_She can never stop my schemes!_" Zoey laughed.

"_There's more to living than gloves and gowns and threads and seams!_" they declared. "_In my dreams I'll be free!_"

* * *

Meanwhile, deep in the royal mines, two men were digging. Both had orange hair and freckles, though one was practically the size of a house. The smaller of the two reached into the mine cart and pulled out a rock as the larger one kept digging. He sighed and tossed it up and down, frustrated.

"What idiot put _this_ in here?" he snarled to his partner, already knowing the answer. The behemoth stopped digging and faced his partner, standing over him.

"That would be me!" he said. The smaller one (who was named Scott) sighed again.

"Listen, Rodney, and we'll review. We are stealing _gold_!" He held it close to Rodney's face. "Is this shiny?"

"No."

"Is this _valuable_?"

"No."

"Is this gonna make the boss happy?"

"…no."

"Focus, Rod, that's what you need. That and a brain." He threw the rock against Rodney's head and it bounced off, flying into the darkness. Unknown to them, the rock split open to reveal valuable crystals inside.

Suddenly, footsteps filled the cavern. Scott started panicking and shoved Rodney.

"Quick! Hide!"

Scott blew out their lantern as Rodney hid their tools and hopped in the mine cart. They sat there, trembling, until a face appeared over the edge, lit by a torch.

It was their boss.

"Why, hello," their boss said with a slight snarl to his voice.

"Master Chris!" Scott greeted him nervously.

"You're back—early!" Rodney laughed, just as nervous. "How was your journey?"

Instead of answering, Chris turned away. His dog, Chef Hatchet, started barking at the two henchmen. Scott reached into the cart and pulled out two nuggets of gold.

"Here you go, sir! The last of the gold in the royal mine. There's nothing left."

"Yeah, because it's all yours!" Rodney added.

"Yes," Chris said, taking the gold and turning away. "It's very much mine. Finally!"

He smirked and started singing.

"_I've been bowing. I've been scraping. I've been lying like a rug. And for ten long years I've had to pay my dues._" He went over to a wall and pulled off a piece of gold. "_But today I am escaping, for the last gold has been dug. It was waiting there, so how could I refuse?_" He proceeded to daydream, where he slid down a pile of gold to Queen Scarlett and Princess Sky.

"_I'm returning home a hero, who's discovered mighty wealth, and what better husband could a princess choose? I'm the suitor who will suit her, bring the kingdom back to health, and I'll wear the crown, for how could I refuse?_"

He smirked again, feeling proud as he came out of his daydream.

"_Raise every glass and rouse every cheer! Praise that the reign of Chris McClean is here! Master in charge of all that I see! All hail me!_" He looked at Scott and Rodney, who were following along. "_And by marrying the princess, I get all that I desire, like a moat, an ermine coat, and palace views. Even though she treats me coldly, it's a sign of inner fire, for inside she's thinking, 'how can I refuse?' _"

"Right, except there's one tiny problem, Boss," Scott chuckled nervously.

"That's _Prince Boss_ to you!" snapped Chris.

"Right, except the queen has already decided to marry the princess off to the prince of Wawanakwa, next week."

"_What?!_ Making a decision without _me_?! Who does she think she is?!"

"Uh, the queen?" Rodney replied stupidly as Chris held them by their throats.

"_You simpering simpleton!_"

"But she _is_ the queen! She's got a scepter and a crown and she sits in her big, fancy chair, and those—" Chris threw them down.

"_Silencio! No! I won't let go! This peasant's son won't turn and run because the reckless royal chose another beau!_" Suddenly, an idea came to him. "_Ah! It's… a… _**temporary**_ setback. It's a momentary loss. But conveniently, my ego doesn't bruise. And the moment that I get back, I'll show them who's the boss. You can bet your bouillon there'll be no I do's!_" Scott and Rodney looked interested in the new plan.

"_Yes, suppose the girl goes missing, so the king says _au revoir_, then I find her, bring her back, and make the news! Then the queen will be so grateful that she'll pledge the heir to _moi_, and I'll humbly tell her 'how can I refuse?'_ _When the ceremony's over, I'll rise and take the throne, and that nitwit Princess Sky can kiss my shoes! For the kingdom and the castle will be mine and mine alone. If the crown should fit, then how can I refuse?_"

All three of them began singing together.

"_So… get… ready with the roses and stand by with the champagne! When you've got a brilliant plan, you never lose! Yes, before this chapter closes, I'll be as big as Charlemagne! It's a thankless job… but how can I refuse? How can I refuse?_"

Chris laughed evilly.

* * *

**Yep, that's something.**

** My reasons for certain castings will be explained at the end of each chapter. Let's start with our main two couples.**

** Casting Zoey and Sky as Erika and Anneliese has entirely to do with the fact that they have the same base design. They also look very similar. As for Dave and Mike, I think that's kind of self-explanatory. Also, Dave has a similar personality to Julien. Mike's multiple-personality disorder lines up with King Dominic's love of disguises.**

**You might also have read this story before. I took it down several weeks ago due to a guest harassing me about updating. Because they were a guest, I couldn't reply to them and in the end, I took the story down. The reason that the story had not been updated was simply because I had writer's block and I wanted to ensure that you all had the best possible product of my work. And to the guest who harassed me first with this story and now has latched onto another one of my stories to spam me with reviews about why I took this one down? PLEASE. STOP. I hear you loud and clear but bugging me like you have been will only make me want to update _LESS_. I hope you understand where I'm coming from and I would appreciate you not spamming me with your reviews. If you would like to message me, create an account and message me. In the meantime, I want to be able to work at my own pace. I do have a life outside of Fanfiction, as I have school and a job that I need to do. Thank you for being understanding.**

**Addendum: Since the time that I put this story back up, the behavior of badgering for updates has continued. This is your final warning. If you continue to leave those reviews (I'm not stupid; I know it's the same person under multiple guest names), I will remove this story and any chance of me updating it. I WILL NOT LEAVE ANOTHER WARNING. PLEASE STOP. BY BOTHERING ME TO UPDATE, YOU ARE MAKING ME WANT TO WORK ON THIS STORY LESS AND LESS.**

**My patience is wearing thinner and thinner. You are taking advantage of the fact that I can't block guest reviews (an advantage that AO3 has) and using it to harass me to update a story that I'm genuinely trying to make fun for everyone. I want to put out a good product of my labor.  AGAIN. DO. NOT. INCESSANTLY. REVIEW ASKING FOR UPDATES!**

** So long and thanks for all the fish!**


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